Foreigner rocks Iowa State Fair with ‘Farewell Tour’
While Foreigner may be on their Farewell Tour, it was a first, as the band proved to a crowd of 11,141 on the second day of the Iowa State Fair that they will be of the greatest teams of all time.
The outsider, recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, guided audiences through nearly 50 years in the industry. Their influence on the genre was evident as they played songs like “Hot Blooded,” “Jukebox Hero,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” and “Cold as Ice,” among others, during the whole hour.
The show reminded concertgoers what a real rock show could be like, transporting the audience back to 1976, when the band first left with founding members Mick Jones, Lou Gramm, Ian McDonald, Al Greenwood, Ed Gagliardi, and Dennis Elliott. .
While no original members were present at the Grandstand show, current tour members Kelly Hansen, Jeff Pilson, Bruce Watson, Michael Bluestein, Chris Frazier, and Luis Maldonado added rock ‘n’ roll out of leather pants, swinging guitars at their bodies, jumping from one side of the stage to the other while being under a technicolor light show.
Melissa Etheridge kicks off the night with a strong performance
The high-energy show was opened by Melissa Etheridge, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter best known for her unique guitar playing and raspy voice to complement powerful vocals. He opened the show by taking the audience through his discography, which includes hits like “Come to My Window” and new songs like “A Burning Woman” from his latest release.
During his tenure, he toured the state of Iowa, telling the crowd it was an honor to host the Iowa State Fair.
“It’s a great honor to be in Iowa and to play at the Iowa State Fair, especially on East Side Night,” Etheridge said. “We had a day off here yesterday, and oh my, the guys are so nice.”
Also:How many people attended the Iowa State Fair on opening day? Here is the summary
Foreigner entertains the crowd with classic songs and memorable moments
The good things in Iowa continued when Foreigner took the stage. Although the weather was cool on the August night in Iowa, the guitars and drums were hot as Gentile opened with “Double Vision.”
“Tonight, it’s a party because we’re all alive and we’re rocking,” lead singer Harmon told the crowd.
Harmon, a charismatic performer, gave the other band members their time to shine during the interlude. Bluestein opened with a synth piano break, and Frazier on drums had the audience banging their heads for a five-minute drum solo before leading the band into a frenzy. a rendition of another of the band’s songs, “Jukebox Hero,” to close the set.
The band returned for the big performance, taking the show into high gear with a different song by playing the band’s biggest hit, “I Want to Know What Love is,” a song by first from their 1984 album “Agent Provocateur.” .” The song went on to become a huge hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and charting at the top of various other charts internationally.
Also:2024 Iowa State Fair Daily Guide
“I Wanna Know What Love Is” remains one of Foreigner’s most iconic and enduring songs. It is known for its powerful lyrics, emotional lyrics, and inspired gospel lyrics, which the group accompanied.
“We’re going to sing this next song together,” Harmon said. “Okay, together.”
Midway through the song, 18 Johnston High School ninth graders joined the band on stage to sing along. The students won the gig at a KIOA Radio competition held in April. At first they gave a rendition of “Hot Blooded,” and the performance gave them a place on stage with rock icons.
“The reason we had these talented, beautiful young people on stage was to put him aside and remind everyone about the lack of funding for school music,” Harmon said. “Music and art can take you all over the world, forward and back in time. It can take you to distant galaxies, and that makes for a good presence.”
Harmon and the team thanked the students for their time and being a part of the evening and encouraged everyone to continue to support the arts before discussing what was next for the group.
Also:Buttercup and giant pumpkin: Our favorite Iowa State Fair photos from Day 2
What’s next for Gentile?
In 2023, the band embarked on their “Farewell Tour,” marking the expected end of live shows for the band after decades of touring. Harmon promised that the group will not disappear from the world but will be doing other projects after the tour is over, saying only,
“I’ve got bigger fish to fry,”
But the band thanked and thanked the fans in the crowd for supporting them throughout the years before closing the night with powerful guitar riffs and the driving rhythm of “Hot Blooded” before bowing out on stage.
“The Farewell Tour” ends in October with a three-day stay in Las Vegas at the Venetian.
Next up on the State Fair Grandstand is rapper Jelly Roll for a sold-out performance on Aug. 11 at 8 pm.
Also:What shows are on sale for the 2024 Iowa State Fair? See how ticket sales are progressing.
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, food and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_.
#Foreigner #rocks #Iowa #State #Fair #Farewell #Tour